JDMStanced

iTrader: (16)

chime in~

AcidJake75

iTrader: (64)

I dont get it...I have SPL compression rod and UCA...only thing that makes noise is the upper control arm, AND SPL already sent me the replacement parts for free (regarding my noise). Ive yet to install them though..

JDMStanced

iTrader: (16)

SPL had told me that they could send me a replacement, and I need to send back Thr old one.
What I'm concerned is that what if the spl bushing is not defected? I don't want to be charged twice for same bushings.
I can't even remember where I put my receipt.

2fasst

iTrader: (6)

If you are referring to the SPL upper a-arm version 2 bushings, then those ARE defective. The version 3 bushings are completely revised, larger.

JDMStanced

iTrader: (16)

i'm talking about SPL compression arm bushing

terrasmak

iTrader: (8)

For god sake, its a metal bearing, yes its going to make noise. Combine that with your dropping of the car to the ground and its going to be worse. Did you even read post #8?

2fasst

iTrader: (6)

No, I don't care to review all the posts as it's NOT MY PROBLEM. I'm simply offering my experience and if it doesn't pertain to the other poster then that's fine.

And to what extent is 'noise' acceptable. I have noise from my Hotchkiss sway bars, creaking hatch, etc. and that's to be expected and is acceptable. My v2 bearings were making noise so loud you can hear it in a commercial parking structure 2 to 3 stories up! Is not normal? Hell no! And why is OEM quiet now that I've been running on the v3 bearings for quite some time?

JDMStanced

iTrader: (16)

My front fender is only tucking the stock 18" rims and tires LITTLE. i have no issue with suspension travel.
Who are the people that don't have the noise? i have all kinds of noises in my car so i'm used to them. however this noise from the bushing is obnoxious, and does not sound like it's suppose to be like that.

terrasmak

iTrader: (8)

My post wasnt directed to you, but yes the V2 arms have a known problem. Guess i should have quoted the GayDM dude

JDMStanced

iTrader: (16)

^^you are simply f**ed up. I know you are a time attack dude but if you aren't going to be helpful, stay out of my threadS. It's annoying to talk to 4x4 status minded people.

2fasst

iTrader: (6)

my bad

terrasmak

iTrader: (8)

Actually my car is lowered, but its done properly. I have never lifted a 350Z above stock height yet.

JDMStanced

iTrader: (16)

I found a suspect.
The sound could be coming from the dried surface of the spherical bearings, and the other part that rubs against it as the rod rotates around. I held the rod, and rotated it up and down.
The SPL instruction doesn't tell you to lube the bearings. weird... i could try lubing em with teflon spray, but it sucks that they need to be relubed in future IF it works.

I have this Chain lube that i used to use it for my bicycle. http://www.amazon.com/Finish-Line-Bi...3623518&sr=8-8
is this ok to use?
Or is this what i need? http://www.amazon.com/DuPont-Non-Sti...3623518&sr=8-5

2fasst

iTrader: (6)

well, it's been about a month or so since I installed my SPL compression bushings, and now they're making clunking like the OP stated! Ugh!

I've done a full suspension inspection, dry-park test, all other bearings are good, sway bar bushings lubed, nothing else is binding, dry, or loose.

It makes noise over very slight bumps, sometimes on braking and acceleration which are indication of movement in compression arms.

terrasmak

iTrader: (8)

The are free floating arms when the spherical bushings are installed, they are going to make some noise. Also, i have noticed that most of the clunking went away on my car once i installed adjustable endlinks, without adjustable endlinks there is preload on the sway bar and its actually the LCA snapping back and forth making noise.

2fasst

iTrader: (6)

The question is why didn't they clunk the first 4000 miles? Absolutely zero noise at first. And now is every turn, every bump. I do have adjustable endlinks as well and no swaybar preload.

Epstein

iTrader: (5)

I have the same noise with my compression arm bearings from SPL. They're the latest version with the rubber o-rings to prevent the arm contacting the mounts/cones. The noise is mostly at low speeds over rough pavement, but also when running over road reflectors (among other things). All fasteners were torqued to spec. The car's suspension is otherwise completely stock.

I did an experiment and made essentially a huge o-ring out of large bungee cord. This basically controlled the arm's location pretty firmly and kept it in the stock orientation. The noise persisted.

I originally installed these bearings into a spare set of arms that I got from a friend. They had a lot higher miles than my original ones. The ball joints on my original arms incredibly tight (45k highway miles) and I definitely can't spin the pins by hand. I have a 3rd compression arm that I got from eBay with high miles and I can pretty easily spin that one, even though there's no discernible play. So, what I'm thinking is that this rattle noise is from somewhat worn ball joints being amplified through the chassis as they no longer isolated by rubber. I'll start finding out this weekend for sure when I press the SPL stuff into my original arms. Good think I bought my own press!

I don't buy the bearing sticktion / loading / other noise arguments that I've heard so far. Among the previous 240sx's I've built, I had one that I converted the rear to full spherical/monoball including the spindles. That would have been 3 "free floating arms" (as terramask puts it) per side and it was dead silent.

2fasst

iTrader: (6)

Nice write up. Keep us posted.

Epstein

iTrader: (5)

Ok, spent an hour in the garage and pressed the SPL compression rod bushings out of my spare set of arms and into my original arms. To recap, the spare set made an incredible amount of noise, especially and consistently when hitting road reflectors at around 40mph or just rolling around my crumbling cement paved neighborhood at 20mph. With bungee wrapped around the lower section of the bearing to control the arm's position, the noise was unchanged. Everything was torqued per the FSM.

So changing to my original arms with the same SPL bearings and bungee, the noise is 95% reduced. Rolling around my neighborhood, which was the worst condition, gives a very slight and infrequent tap/rattle. Everywhere else, it's silent. That's with the windows up and AC / radio off on very stock car (OK, stock sized Star Specs, too). With the windows down, you'd never know there was a noise.

So, I didn't completely fix the problem, but I did affect it. With all things constant and only effectively changing the arms/ball joints, the noise was almost completely eliminated. So, it's the ball joints. This also aligns with the reports that the noise appears over time, as ball joints also wear over time. No funny sway bar tweaking (I have a stock sway bar setup on stock suspension), it's not the arm flapping around because it's free (I controlled the position, which didn't change anything), and it's not the fact that you installed ZOMG Racecar partz(!) on your car and that stuff always makes noise.

Keep producing great stuff SPL Parts! (Shout out to SGM, too)

terrasmak

iTrader: (8)

I know what you mean, all my rears are full SPL and free float. The rears are quiet as hell. The front, makes noise. Also you have to look on the LCA how the swaybar mounts, it is not perfectly centered, it loads the LCA from one side to the other depending on the force. I don't really care about the noise, but disco the front sway bar and drive around for a few and see how it sounds.